Classic Burger Sauce
If you dig the sauce on Big Macs or the “special sauce” that high-end sandwich joints slather on their burgers, you are going to LOVE this burger sauce!
While I hardly ever eat them, I love a Big Mac every now and then, and I’m pretty sure it’s because of that oh-so-fabulous burger sauce that is slathered on them. I’m a big-time burgers and fries fan, and have been known to order one even at the nicest of restaurants in lieu of a “fancier” meal.
Spoiler alert: I’m not fancy, and I’m certainly not a fancy eater.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that most nice restaurants and high-end burger joints have their own “special sauce” that they use on burgers. They tend to taste very similar, and I’m totally addicted. So when I made burgers on Saturday for watching the hockey game, you better believe I was going to whip up a batch of homemade burger sauce!
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This is incredibly easy to whip up, and there’s a 98% chance you already have all of the ingredients you need sitting in your refrigerator and pantry. Only six ingredients, one small bowl and a whisk is all you need to get this ready.
It’s the perfect complement to any burger, and I even love using it to dip my fries!
Mmmm bacon cheeseburger with that magical burger sauce :)
Stay tuned tomorrow – I’m going to be sharing an absolute killer cheeseburger recipe (and it doesn’t include the grill!).
One year ago: Top 10 List: Favorite Appetizer Recipes
Five years ago: Scalloped Potatoes
Classic Burger Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup (112 g) mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 g) ketchup
- 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Very tasty! Tasted it as was and it was a bit sweet so, I added 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce and 1/2 tsp of garlic and onion powder and 1/2 tsp mustard.
It’s a WONDERFUL blend thank you for the framework.
Delicious!! Thank you for sharing.
Whipped this up to add to veggie burgers. It was delish!
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I have a local market which makes handcrafted olive oil and vingers. Used apricot balsamic vinegar. Used splenda versus sugar. Awesome!
Blue Ridge olive oil company. I do not work for them but their vinegars and oils make a huge difference in your recipes. Next level!
So good! We like dill relish instead of sweet relish.
We do a mix of the dill and sweet! So good!!
Just another idea
1 cup ketchup
1 cup Mayo
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
Mix throughly and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Last in the fridge for two weeks.
You can omit the sugar and add garlic powder if you’d prefer. I don’t do a tablespoon of garlic powder, I do about 2 teaspoons.
I do salt and pepper to taste
Is the mustard in your recipe mustard powder or regular mustard e.g. French’s?
I’m sorry but the amount of black pepper was very overwhelming, it almost seems like it’s a typo, couldn’t eat the sauce, threw it out.
I’m not sure if you used a spoon or a teaspoon. You don’t have to follow the recipe to the tee. You can deviate a little. Like for example, using less pepper.
I’m sorry but unfortunately this was a no for me and 12(!) other people at my bbq.
I made this sauce following all the measurements and ingredients exactly as it said, and it was sooo good! I initially thought that it would be too much black pepper, but I’m glad I trusted the recipe because it was perfect.
I used it in a salad burger because I didn’t have burger buns, so just used lots of iceberg lettuce as a base, pickles, tomatoes, onions and sauted mushrooms and it was so delicious I didn’t miss the bread at all.
Thank you for this yummy recipe.
great sauce michelle! the sauce that makes the b m great. hey have you ever come across a greek sauce recipe for hot dogs. it’s really good also, but most greek families guard the recipe with their life. i have a lot of texas hot dog sauce recipes but the one i’m looking for usually has a little cumin ,chili powder very little hamburg and 6 or 7 more spices that make this sauce very unique. almost like a flavored sauce with a 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of hamburg at most.
Oh what a taste! I love this sauce!
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Oh~ The sauce looks really good! Thank you for the nice recipe! I will definitely try it next time!
What you’re basically prepping is 1,000 Island Dressing. This has been Jack’s secret sauce for years. Growing up in SoCal, this is the sauce Mom always made for burger night. Good for you for spreading the yummy joy!
Is there an specific brand or kind of ketchup we should use?
I am from Pittsburgh, so we use Heinz ketchup exclusively here ;-)
It’s nice but sometimes ingredient are not properly available.
I made it and added cucumber anr red onion and left out the sugar. Really nice. Thanks
We loved it! Used on grilled burgers….MMM the best!
Oh~ The sauce looks really good! Thank you for the nice recipe! I will definitely try it next time!
Wow worked out great! Lunch was delicious! Thank you very much for this easy and tasty add!!!!
I use this kind of sauce so much. It is basically
Thousand Island dressing from the 70s. You must try it on a chicken salad with just a little curry added. Yummy!
It was super sour and no enough saltyness. A very disappointed son today.
You know you can deviate from the original recipe, right? If you don’t like what you taste change it up a bit.
Can I substitute something for pickle relish
Hi Mary, If you have pickles you could chop them up!
I was just about done cooking the burgers and thought I really needed a special sauce. I was tired of just using mayo on the bun. So I ran to my laptop and typed in special hamburger sauce and this one came up. I whipped up the sauce in a couple minutes and boy was it what I wanted! It was awesomely delicious! My son loved it too!
I don’t have any mayonnaise or miracle whip, is there a way I could use sour cream instead?
Hi Julia, I think it would, but it would have a different flavor!
Just made this. Tried it without the burger and it’s yummy! You won’t be disappointed
If you make this.
is this sauce good for pork burger ?
Great sauce, I used it on burgers made in the skillet and I can’t wait to use them on grilled burgers.
A personal touch, I added a tablespoon of horseradish for a little spice.
I don’t have any vinegar. Will it taste as good without it or something else I might have. I have mustard?
Hi Roxanne, mustard will significantly change the flavor. If you don’t have vinegar, I would just omit.
Pickle juice is a good subsitute
Great suggestion. I’m going to try that. I make this variation as my thousand island. My Grandma put pickle juice in lots of things (not to waste anything including pickle juice). I just finally added pickle juice to potato salad the other day…boy was it good. It added the kick that it needed. Wish I’d added pickle juice years ago.
I used mustard instead of pickle relish and my partner loved it. He’s used the sauce on pork spare ribs as a marinade too.
Im q student and by this saturday fourdays from now on we will do an entreprenuer activity where we will go to a place and sell products. We chose burgers, I love your recipe sauce and my mom has been using this for a longtime, can you help us or give us any tips about making burgers tasty, beautiful while not being ecpensive, also, our budget is only 2100 Philippine Pesos.
I made this exactly as listed. I even used name brand ingredients like Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Heinz ketchup , and Vlasic sweet pickle relish. I felt like it was a good base but was missing something zippy. And then I added a couple teaspoons of McCormick Chipotle & Roasted Garlic seasoning. Then refrigerated several hours. Delicious!!